Our Experience, Expertise and Access to Leading-edge Technology Allow us to Provide the Most Advanced, Minimally Invasive Care

Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy Helps Girl with Cerebral Palsy Walk

Neurosurgery

From the most complex brain and spinal disorders requiring the most challenging interventions to more common conditions and procedures, our expert team of pediatric neurosurgeons and neurosurgery nurse practitioners offers the complete spectrum of multidisciplinary care. In 2017, we cared for patients from 32 states and many countries from around the world.

Lowering Surgical Site Infections

Nationwide Children’s Section of Neurosurgery has one of the lowest surgical site infection rates in the nation. Learn more.

An Innovative Patient-Centered Approach to Neurosurgery

Through innovations, such as mathematical modeling of EEG changes in epilepsy, and leading-edge surgical technologies and techniques, neurosurgeons at Nationwide Children’s are advancing the field while raising the bar on patient care. Learn more.

The Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is offered to patients from around the country experiencing spasticity – a condition that causes stiff, tight muscles that can’t be controlled because of a problem with the signals the brain sends (or doesn’t send) to the nerves.

Surgical Epilepsy services at Nationwide Children’s Hospital involves an array of multidisciplinary specialists to care for the clinical, surgical and psychosocial needs of children with difficult to control epilepsy.

Our neurosurgeons collaborate with Neurology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Hematology, Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplant and many others to promote positive outcomes for neurosurgical patients from birth to age 21, and for selected adults with congenital neurological disorders. Our surgeons value collaborative relationships with primary care physicians and believe in maintaining communication to support ongoing patient care.

Selective dorsal rhizotomy can provide life-changing results, but patients work hard in physical and occupational therapy to get there.

Meet our Patients

Blake was born with myelomeningocele, the most common and severe type of spina bifida. Spina bifida is a neurological condition that can cause a portion of the spinal cord and the surrounding structures to develop outside, instead of inside, the body.

More Neurosurgery

There's not much Dr. Leonard hasn't seen in the neurosurgery world. Take a peek inside the OR with him as he describes his motivations for doing this important work and what he looks forward to in the future of neurosurgery.

From the age of five through adulthood, trauma is the leading cause of death, and many traumatic injuries involve brain injury. Fortunately, the majority of traumatic brain injuries are mild, but nevertheless, some children will experience a severe traumatic brain injury.

Imagine wanting to stretch out your legs or arms — to open and close your hands or to flex your feet — and not being able to because the muscle is simply stuck, tightened or contracted. This is a constant experience for people with spasticity. Spasticity is a muscle control disorder.